I have to say that this (the 21st) was not the best aftershow. For those of you that couldnt get tickets I wouldnt worry as compared with other shows you didnt miss too much. I was lucky enough to go to Aug 28th and that was a magical moment for me. on friday night, at points i just was not feeling it.

Firstly, the crowd was a weird mix of boring drunks and in the shadows kind of people. im sorry but its true. Maybe its because a lot of the real fans couldnt afford the stupid ebay prices, but anyone who thinks it was rocking should have been there on the 28th. THAT was rocking.

Secondly, i think im finally a bit bored of him constantly playing other people's tunes. By all means play hits but PLAY YOUR OWN PRINCE!!! In fact Prince you don't need to play the hits - just your own tunes would do! Don't get me wrong - Whole lotta love, Come Together, Love is a Losing Game, Superstition, etc, etc are good tunes and in particular, his version of whole lotta love is pretty awesome. And i really enjoyed seeing him play with Winehouse but after 8 mains and 4 aftershows i felt like i was hearing the SAME covers for the upteenth time. If i hear Gnarls Barkely's Crazy and/or Play that funky Music again i think i might shoot someone.

Thirdly - All the Critics In London/New York - this went on for about 20 mins too long.

Fourthly - Chelsea Rodgers - I know this tune has a lot of fans amongst the orgers but to be honest i find it just another meaningless dance/funk tune. And i had to hear it THREE times on friday!!! Mainshow, Aftershow DJ and aftershow! if another person had written it i probably wouldnt have given it a second glance. Chelsea rodgers is not a dirty mind, not a sexuality (or spirituality as he sang on the 28th), not anywhere near the vast majority of his stripped down funk/dance classics.

Im sorry for going on - and dont get me wrong i have loved prince being here. The final mainshow was pretty awesome (thanks popelife for organising the glowsticks!) but i actually found the final aftershow a bit disappointing. Maybe i was just tired after an exhausting couple of months of running around watching prince. For me the 28th aftershow will probably never be beaten.

While September 9 was the absolute topper of the whole summer for me, the actual apogee was when he played a blistering version of 'Stratus' (Billy Cobham) on a different night. I can't remember which A/S it was, but it was a tour de force....absolute top-sport on the guitar!!

purplejosh said:

I think you have just had too much good stuff, its clouded your perception. Its 2 days later and I am still walking around in a daze, shaking my head, trying to make sense of it... The first time is usually the best and most memorable...

I guess the beauty - and the drawback - is the limited audience. These aftershows just show how incredible Prince really is, and it's a shame the world isn't able to share in them.

But for the lucky one, well, they are just so memorable.

Life is like a Prince aftershow, you never know what you are going to get.

purplejosh said:

Thank you.

So great to read this. I feel like a real out cast when I say, I'm fucked off with seeing P do these covers. Not all of them of course, the above that you mentioned are stellar, the Whole lotta love on the 20th main show as outstanding. And seeing Amy Winehouse was just magical for me, one of my best ever Prince moments.

But for all the hype and waxing about these types of shows, from the people who love them the most, what do they mostly say in the end? - The 28th was the one. Why, cos it was just Prince and Prince all the fucking way. Stripped down, raw, uncompromised. No shite covers (a few that really worked in the set), no giving the stage up for other people, be it Jazz maestros, or Shelby/Marva singing divas.

Bottom line - I JUST WANNA SEE PRINCE PLAY!

Ideal scenario: 28th. Or, an acoustic set, unplugged. Prince playing Prince. Hell I'd even take Prince just singing Don't play me over the all the ol skool funk covers that he's played time and time again.

I think these types of aftershows (same ol' covers) get way over-rated.

Given his back catalogue, there's nothing remarkable about the last night, other than it was the last night.

N.B. I'm not putting a downer on it tho'. I'm genuinely pleased if people really, really loved it.

I feel that the aftershows are about the music, they are about a musican being able to have creative freedom to do whatever he feels like without worrying what the masses think. Prince is obviously a music lover and he seems to really enjoy being a part of a band and watching the other performers too (as do I).

Some things work, some things don't. Some people love what he does and some people don't. One size will definately not fit all!

It's a good thing for a musican and performer to pander to their creative desires/moods, if they don't they will end up like any other bland MTV act.

I gotta say that sometimes folks come across as a bit spoilt - I sure as hell got £25 worth of entertainment at all the shows I went to (including the final night).

Veej said:

[Edited 9/23/07 9:39am]

Starchild771 said:

Abso-bloomin-lutely.

I enjoy the originals. I enjoy the covers. I enjoy the fact that he's enjoying himself. I enjoy not knowing for sure what he's going to do next. I mean, that's why we go, isn't it?

The only reason we're able to say that one show was or wasn't better than another is because the aftershows are so unpredictable. I think that's a good thing. The main thing even.

And personally, I love the jazz tunes, and I like hearing the rest of the band stretch out. Others don't. So it's a good thing he plays a bit of everything.

I can't find anything to gripe about regarding these shows... apart from the state of some of the audience.

FunkyAphrodite said:

Hell No. Critics rocked. His guitar playing during that was incredible.

TheEnglishGent said:

Me too. That setlist was just made me wet my pants.

popelife said:

Argyll St.? Emporium '95? That rocked, especially the second night. I was near the front. But I'd have thought that was good from most spots as he was playing on the dancefloor and the rest of the venue sloped down overlooking it.

JayBee319 said:

my first aftershow also the 13th Sept which had a great crowd - my second the last night which I thought was a virtuoso performance by Prince - unforgettable

In my opinion. Aftershow were best in this order....

1. Sept 9th.
2. Aug 28th.
3. Sept 21st.

BlackCandle said:

That was it, the Emporium! Well remembered.

No, a rather disappointing waste of time for me. It wasn't that busy, only a fraction of the numbers at the Indigo. But there was a huge scramble to get down the front (where you then had to stand motionless for a couple of hours waiting for him to come on - you know, the old routine), and unless you were within the first few rows, you couldn't see a thing. The only reason you knew there was a band playing was because the place was full of people staring in one direction.

I don't recall that the place sloped, there might have been a step or two down to the dancefloor, but most of the area where the crowd were was flat as far as I remember. I certainly got the impression that the band were lower down than the crowd. And people complain that the Indigo's stage isn't *high* enough!

There was nothing to gain from standing in the crowd, you could see absolutely nothing, so I stood at the bar with a friend. Couldn't really hear the gig either, so after about an hour of shouting to each other over a loud mush of noise we left.

The only good thing about the show for me was picking up a black and gold NPG t-shirt on the way out. *That* was a nice shirt.

The show I should have mentioned was the Astoria aftershow with Chaka and George Benson. That was cool, and a good view everywhere. But not a patch on the Indigo shows IMO. We have been truly spoiled this year... and long may it continue

purplejosh said:

I totally agree with you. I felt exactly the same way. I have seen aftershows that were far more intense and with a much better audience than the one on Friday.
You could have added :
- Come together : far too long version.
- The Twinz : their presence was useless.
- Shelby : very talented but she got on my nerves at times.

But Prince was absolutely phenomenal.

i have been to 6 main shows and 15 aftershows (including 1 no show and 2 npg without prince). they all seem to be blurred into one, but all were outstanding. highlights are beverly knight singing raspberry beret and her obvious love and respect for prince and grupo fantasma. they have not had the credit they deserve. maceo next in october, george clinton in november.

popelife said:

I had a great sound at my shows in the arena. I have been very lucky as when I moved to other areas by curiosity the sound was pretty poor and messy !

yes I hate the Indigo. Give me the Bataclan, the Rex, the Hippodrome !

SEPT 9 for me...

Hi all- I only attended one aftershow- sept 9- and I have to say it would have been hard to beat. I had only bought after show tickets a few days before (for £20!) and thought the main show was great, but not fantastic. I was worried about him not turning up for the aftershow and so was very relieved when he wandered onstage nonchalantly at 12.30. The fact that he only finished playing at three in the was astonishing. Ok, he didn't necessaruly play all my favourite tracks but 1999 (complete with "mommy, why does everybody have a bomb") was amazing, alphabet st superb,etc. The most memeorable moments were seeing Prince looking a little overcome during Chelsea Rodgers, his tirade about record companies (including "I don't sell records, i just make 'em) which lasted ten minutes while he played the sasme note on the guitar, and the sheer energy from the crowd and onstage throughout the performance. The aftershow on sept 9 was the best gig I've ever been to (and I've been to hundreds).

purplejosh said:

Well said, I have read other posts about this song and you would think it is some kind of Prince classic. It's not!!!!!

goodbourn said:

Well said Goodburn - the aftershow with Gruppo Fantasma was unbelievable, and it has hardly been mentioned any more on this site. It showed how versatile Prince is as a muscician, the way he played to those latin beats. Virtuose guitar playing!

BlackCandle said:

Glad to see somebody else loved it, he could have played for hours and I would have been happy and I didn't particularly like the song before!

I only managed to go to one aftershow, which I bought tickets for after going to the 11th August main show (cos i was so blown away). Luckily the aftershow I picked was the 21st September. It was totaly amazing, but I must say I am slighty jealous of the the night when he got played as a trio, now that would have been fantastic.

9th Sept a/show blew me away, what a night!
20th Sept even tho P did'nt show, it was still a great night with the NPG & other artists.
21 Sept, wow another fantastic night!
Agree with others about the mindless drunks tho, gets me really annoyed

campbelj said:

Yep, with ya on that one buddy! The 9th was an absolute cracker of a show!

I've had the fortune of going to 2 concerts and 5 aftershows, although he didn't appear at 2 of the aftershows, but they were all still wild! I'm just so glad he played Chelsea Rodgers on the 9th as that was the only time I heard it played live and I was dying to hear it. I think I cut a rug that night! It was an absolute pleasure to hear both my favourite Beatles and Rolling Stones tracks too, Come Together and Miss You respectively. I could have died a happy man on either of these nights. But most of all, it was a pleasue to hear (for the first time too) some of my favourite Prince hits at both the concerts and aftershows; Controversy, Sometimes It Snows In April, Condition Of The Heart, The Beautiful Ones, Pop Life and Around The World In a Day... The have always wanted to hear Darling Nikk though. Anyone ever had the pleasure of witnessing that one live before?

Both magical and emotional performances which have made my year! Respect to his royal purpleness! A true legend!!!

i absolutely agree that the aftershows are there for prince to do his thing without the pressure of having to play purple rain, lets go crazy, kiss, etc. That is afterall what the main show is for.

But why replace your own stuff with "play that funky music", "le freak", "come together", etc? And not just do it once but night after night? Im not sure that this counts as being quite as creative as people suggest.

hes got such a massive repetoire of great tunes (hits and non hits) i just dont think he needs to go down that route. And by all means cover people's songs but surely "play that funk music", "le freak" and "crazy" begin to sound like "another bland mtv set" someone above refers to.

Imagine this - he actually played sexy dancer instead of his remix of le freak. He followed this up by playing The Cross instead of Come Together. Then he did Hot Thing instead of Gnarls Barkley (ok shelby and the band didnt play Crazy at the aftershow on friday but you get my drift...) I probably wouldnt be able to breathe with all my exitement!

Don't get me wrong - there were points on friday that i really enjoyed. In fact, him and Amy Winehouse on stage together was a highlight of the whole tour for me.

But in comparison to other aftershows i just don't think it was as good. It lacked the intensity of the 28th. And I loved seeing him play his own new stuff on the 6th Sept. They are more memorable aftershows for me.

purplejosh said:

Maybe he just enjoys playing them. He was making a lot of the message about everybody coming together during Come Together, so it's clearly important to him.

TheEnglishGent said:

Agreed, I thought September 9th was amazing. I went not expecting anything and it was an extraordinarily amazing experience. I am sure 21st was outstanding but you would expect it to be, for me the 9th was the best gig I have ever been to, I would have gone to the rest of them too but had a holiday booked, even thought about cancelling it but hey you have to live life as well!!!

KatzMccaff said:

Holidays come and go - these aftershows don't...

purplejosh said:

Once upon a time a little boy was given a large box of the world’s finest chocolates. As the chocolatier handed the box of chocolates to the boy, he smiled, because had spent his whole life learning his craft and there was nothing in the world he enjoyed more than sharing his gift with others,

The boy unwrapped the chocolates with glee, it had been such a long time since he had last had chocolates he could hardly remember what they tasted like! As he popped the first chocolate into his mouth he said to himself ‘Surely this is the finest chocolate anyone has ever tasted’ and he was very pleased. The boy then proceeded to pop chocolate after chocolate into his mouth, half way through the box the boy picked up a simple looking chocolate from the middle of the box and placed it in his mouth, it tasted so good he could hardly describe it. ‘Strawberry, chocolate, fender, jazz, mashed potato, fuzztone’ he cried out ‘surely no other chocolate could ever taste so good. Yet, the boy continued to gorge himself on the chocolates.

When only a few chocolates remained, the boy protested ‘I feel sick, I can’t eat anymore chocolates’ and yet the boy continued to place the chocolates in his mouth. Finally he cried ungratefully ‘these aren’t the finest chocolates in the world!’ The chocolatier overheard these words and he was very disappointed. All he wanted to do was make people happy as best he could by making the finest chocolate he knew how.

Later that year the chocolatier died. His store fell in to disrepair and people forgot how fine his chocolates were. One day the boy, now a man, reminisced on how those chocolates were the finest chocolates he had ever tasted, and how foolish he was to complain when he had quaffed a whole box like a glutton. If he had realised that the last chocolate he ate from the box was the last time he would ever taste one of those chocolates he would have enjoyed every second it was in his mouth.

purplejosh said:

I don't think there was anything remotely bland about Crazy or Le Freak on the 9th of September, they did awsome versions that night. .. and you do realise that Le Freak is Sexy Dancer? That bass and groove is unmistakable!


Anyway, I can't think of another world class talent who treats us with these aftershow performances (4-5 hours entertainment when you add the mainshow). I imagine the Rolling Stones/U2/Elton fans would pay a small fortune to hear a couple of nursery rhymes in such an intimate venue.

I completely agree with cloudguitar's analogy, seriously, these aftershows have been amazing and I personaly feel incredibly blessed to have experienced them first hand .

Prince could have sung covers of Baa Baa Black Sheep and Bob The Builder on the 21st for all I cared.

It was just amazing to be there and have him play for three hours.